December 22, 2006

Millions of British pounds from scam : Estonian jailed for 5 years

* A London court sentenced an Estonian citizen to five years in prison for his role in an Internet scam that netted tens of millions of British pounds.

Aleksei Kostap faced the Harrow Crown Court on Dec. 13 and was convicted for assuming a false identity and instigating fraud. He was sentenced alongside two accomplices, Anton Gelonkin of Russia and Romanos Vasilauskas of Lithuania, who were ordered to serve prison terms of six years and 18 months respectively. Kostap, 31, was found with a false passport carrying his photograph.

He pleaded not guilty, claiming he was set up by his co-accused. Police are still hunting a second Estonian, Vaino Kaljusaar, who is suspected of being the mastermind of the fraud operation.